U.S. patent number 4,878,781 [Application Number 07/280,377] was granted by the patent office on 1989-11-07 for moisture control system for a foundation.
Invention is credited to Steven D. Gregory, Joseph R. Holler.
United States Patent |
4,878,781 |
Gregory , et al. |
November 7, 1989 |
Moisture control system for a foundation
Abstract
A moisture control system for controlling the moisture level of
subsoil adjacent the foundation of a building in which a supply
pipe extends in the subsoil along an area adjacent the foundation
and an accumulator pipe is disposed adjacent the supply pipe. A
plurality of porous pipes are each connected between the supply
pipe and the accumulator pipe and are adapted to allow seepage of
water into the subsoil.
Inventors: |
Gregory; Steven D. (Richardson,
TX), Holler; Joseph R. (Dallas, TX) |
Family
ID: |
23072829 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/280,377 |
Filed: |
December 6, 1988 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
405/52;
52/169.14; 52/169.5; 405/36; 405/51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02D
3/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E02D
3/10 (20060101); E02D 3/00 (20060101); E02B
011/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;405/43,36,44,45,51,39,42,48,52 ;52/169.5,169.14 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Taylor; Dennis L.
Assistant Examiner: McBee; J. Russell
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kice; Warren B.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A moisture control system for controlling the moisture level of
subsoil adjacent the foundation of a building comprising a source
water, supply pipe means extending in said subsoil along an area
adjacent said foundation and connected to said water source,
accumulator pipe means disposed adjacent said supply pipe means,
and a plurality of generally U-shaped porous pipes each extending
away from and substantially orthogonal to said supply pipe means
and said accumulator pipe means, and each being connected between
said supply pipe means and said accumulator pipe means for
receiving water from said supply pipe means and allowing said water
to seep out into said subsoil, said accumulator pipe means adapted
to receive the water from said porous pipes that does not seep
therefrom.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising manifold means
connected between said water source and said supply pipe means,
said manifold means comprising means for supplying different
quantities of water to said supply pipe means.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein said manifold means comprises two
pipes for respectively supplying different quantities of water to
said supply pipe means and means for selectively routing water to
said two pipes.
4. The system of claim 2 wherein said manifold means comprises a
variable flow control valve for varying the flow of water
therethrough.
5. The system of claim 2 wherein said manifold means comprises
means for introducing water to said supply pipe means at a
relatively high pressure to purge said supply pipe means.
6. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for purging said
accumulator pipe means of the water accumulated therein.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein said purge means comprises an
on-off valve disposed at one end of said accumulator pipe means,
and further comprising means for closing the other end of said
accumulator pipe means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a moisture control system and, more
particularly, to such a system for controlling the moisture level
in an area surrounding a building foundation.
The shrinking or swelling of subsurface soil around the foundation
of a building as a result of differing moisture conditions in the
soil can cause severe damage to the foundation of the building. For
example, in certain situations moisture builds up in the subsoil
directly underneath the foundation, but in the areas surrounding
this moist control area, which is usually underneath the perimeter
of the foundation, the subsoil is relatively dry thus creating an
inconsistent moisture profile across the entire area beneath the
foundation. Since soil tends to swell when moist and shrink when
dry it can be appreciated that subsoils of these types bearing the
weight of a foundation will cause differential foundation movement
and attendant failures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
moisture control system for an area immediately below a building
foundation which ensures a substantially equal moisture content of
the soil below the foundation and an attendant reduction in
differential foundation movement.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
moisture control system of the above type in which moisture is
applied to the relative dry areas underneath the building
foundation to equalize the moisture content across the profile of
the area below the foundation and minimize differential foundation
movement.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
moisture control system of the above type in which the degree of
moisture introduced to the subsoil below the foundation can be
varied in accordance with particular climate conditions.
Toward the fulfillment of these and other objects, the moisture
control system of the present invention includes a plurality of
supply pipes extending in the subsoil along an area adjacent the
building foundation. A plurality of accumulator pipes are disposed
adjacent the supply pipes and a plurality of porous hoses are
connected between the supply pipes and the accumulator pipes for
allowing seepage of water into the subsoil.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above brief description, as well as further objects, features
and advantages of the present invention will be more fully
appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of
the presently preferred but nonetheless illustrative embodiments in
accordance with the present invention when taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the moisture control system of the present
invention shown installed below the foundation of a building;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the moisture control system of the
present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the
manifold used in the moisture control system of FIGS. 1 and 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring specifically to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the reference
numeral 12 refers, in general, to a foundation of a building such
as a house, office building, or the like. The building is normally
serviced by a water main 14 which is directly connected to the
normal water supply for the interior of the building by a piping
system (not shown).
According to the present invention, four supply pipes 16a, 16b, 16c
and 16d are respectively disposed immediately adjacent the front
wall, the rear wall and the two side walls of the housing and are
disposed at a predetermined distance underneath ground level, such
as two feet. Manifolds 18a, 18b, 18c and 18d are connected to the
supply pipes 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d, respectively and function in a
manner to be described in detail later. The water main 14 is
connected to the manifolds 18a and 18d by a pipe 20 having two
branch conduits 20a and 20b; and to the manifolds 18b and 18c by a
pipe 22 having two branch conduits 22a and 22b respectively. The
manifolds 18a-18d are connected to the supply pipes 16a-16d,
respectively in a manner to be described.
Four accumulator pipes 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d extend parallel to,
and slightly spaced from, the supply pipes 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d,
respectively. A plurality of porous pipes 26 extend between each
supply pipe 16a-16 d and its corresponding accumulator pipe
24a-24d, respectively, for reasons that will be described in
detail. The porous pipes are substantially U shaped and extend
approximately five feet downwardly into the subsoil from the level
of the supply pipes 16a-16d.
Water from the main 14 is thus passed, via the pipes 20 and 22, to
the manifolds 18a-18d and from the latter, to the supply pipes
16a-16d. Water from the supply pipes 16a-16d passes into and
through the porous pipes 26 for discharge into the subsoil, and the
excess water passes into the accumulator pipes 24a-24d.
FIG. 2 depicts the manifold 18d in greater detail, it being
understood that the other manifolds 18a, 18b and 18c are
constructed and function in an identical manner. More particularly,
the manifold 18d comprises three parallel pipes 30a, 30b and 30c
disposed in a spaced, parallel relationship and extending between
two header pipes 32a and 32b. Four "elbow" fittings 34 are provided
at the connecting ends of the aforementioned pipes, a X-fitting 36a
connects the pipe 20b with the pipes 30a and 32a, and a X fitting
36b connects the pipe 30a to the pipes 32b and 16d.
Three "on-off" ball valves 38a, 38b and 38c are associated with the
pipes 30a, 30b and 30c, respectively, and two flow regulators 40a
and 40b are mounted in the pipes 30b and 30c, respectively, for
controlling the flow of water therethrough, as will be described. A
pressure gauge 42 is provided on the fitting 36b to provide a
visual indication of the water pressure in the system as also will
be described. Although the pipes 30a, 30b, 30c, 32a and 32b have
been described as being a single pipe it can be appreciated that
they actually comprise two or more segments to accommodate the
fittings 34, 36a and 36b, the valves 38a, 38b and 38c and the flow
regulators 40a and 40b.
The supply pipe 16d is connected at one end to the fitting 36b and
its other end is closed by a cap 44. The accumulator pipe 24d has a
cap 46 closing one end thereof and a purge valve 48 disposed on the
other end thereof. A casing, or box, 50 extends around the purge
valve 48 to protect same from the soil. It is understood that the
supply pipes 16a-16c and the accumulator pipes 24a 24c are
constructed and arranged in a manner identical to that of the pipes
16d and 24d.
The respective ends of each porous pipe 26 is connected, by the
appropriate fittings 52, to their corresponding supply pipes
16a-16d and accumulator pipes 24a-24d in a conventional manner. The
porous pipes 26 can be fabricated of any type conventional material
which enables a precontrolled amount of the water introduced into
the pipe to seep outwardly through the pipe and into the subsoil.
An example would be a pipe marketed under the trademark "Leaky
Pipe" which is a porous pipe or hose fabricated from rubber or
plastic particles in a manner so that the pipe will permit seepage
of water through the pores in the pipe when the pipe is connected
to water under pressure. Any excess water will be transmitted to
the accumulator pipe 24d.
In operation, the flow regulator 40a is preset to permit a
predetermined relatively high flow of water therethrough based on
the relative hot and/or dry season of the year, while the flow
regulator 40b is set for a relatively low flow of water based on a
cooler and/or less dry season. The ball valve 38a is turned off,
one of the ball valves 38b and 38c is turned on and the other
turned off according to the particular season. Assuming a relative
hot and/or dry season, the valve 38b would be turned on and the
valve 38a and 38c turned off and water from the main 14 would pass
through the lines 20 and 20b into the header pipe 32a of the
manifold 18d and into and through the pipe 30b. From the pipe 30b
the water enters the header pipe 32b and exits, via the fitting
36b, to the supply pipe 16d. The water passes from the supply pipe
16d into the porous tubes 26 and seeps from the later to moisturize
the subsoil in which the tubes are embedded, with any excess water
passing into the accumulator pipe 24d.
It can be appreciated that manifolds 18a-18d and their associated
supply pipes, accumulator pipes and porous tubes function in a
manner identical to that just described in connection with the
manifold 18d and its associated piping.
The system can be adjusted for a less hot and less dry season by
opening the ball valve 38c and closing valve 38b so that a lower
amount of water passes through the pipe 30c an into the supply pipe
16d. The system can be periodically "purged" by closing the ball
valves 38b and 38c and opening the ball valve 38a and the valve 48.
This permits water at very high flow to pass through the system and
purge the system of any foreign material, etc.
It is thus seen that the system of the present invention provides
an effective system for controlling the moisture content around the
periphery of the foundation and therefore to stabilize the moisture
profile of the subsoil throughout the entire area below the
foundation 12.
FIG. 3 depicts an alternate embodiment of the manifold 18d utilized
in the moisture control system of FIGS. 1 and 2. The manifold of
FIG. 3 is referred to in general by the reference numeral 54 and
consists of an elbow fitting 56 connected at one end to the branch
conduit 20b and a pipe 58 connected to the other end of the elbow
fitting 56. The pipe 58 is connected to an "on-off" ball valve 60.
A branch pipe 58a connects the pipe 58 to a variable control valve
62 whose outlet is connected, via pipe segments 64a and 64b and an
elbow fitting 66, to the supply pipe 16d. The outlet of the valve
60 is connected to the pipe segment 64b. The control valve 62
includes a knob 62a which can be manually adjusted to vary the flow
of water through the valve.
The valve 60 is normally closed to direct the flow of water through
the valve 62, the pipe segments 64a and 64b and the fitting 66 to
the supply pipe 16d. The water flow is regulated by the valve 62 in
accordance with the type of season, as discussed above. To purge
the system, the control valve 60 is opened and the water flow is
directed directly from the branch conduit 20b through the valve 60
and to the supply conduit 16d, as discussed above.
Thus the manifold 54 operates in a similar manner to the manifold
18d with the valve 62 being manually adjusted to control the fluid
flow therethrough in accordance with the fluid demand based on the
particular seasons.
It is understood that, according to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the
manifold 54 would also replace the manifolds 18a, 18b and 18c of
the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2.
Other modifications, changes and substitutions are intended in the
foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the
invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other
features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims
be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of
the invention.
* * * * *